If you're an independent consultant (as I am currently), time tracking, invoicing and estimates are all probably a big part of your weekly routine. I've used different systems for years, most recently landing on a combination of Google Docs and PayPal to track my time and generate invoices based on them.

Although this spreadsheet-based system worked, it was far from optimal for effectively tracking time as I jumped between paid and unpaid projects and tried to reconcile recorded time with paid invoices. Fortunately, in a search for a tool to create better estimates, I decided to give Harvest a try - and I haven't looked back since. Harvest matches up perfectly with my needs for time tracking with an integrated desktop tracker, a mobile app, and a web app, and gives the ability to generate, send, and receive payment for invoices directly from your recorded timesheets.... amazing.

The reporting tools alone also make it worthwhile to use - I can now visualize what percentage of time I'm spending in any timeframe on a specific project, or ALL un-billable projects, etc. For me, it's now an essential part of my workflow. If you're a consultant (or one of many other professions needing to record and bill for time), I'd highly recommend trying it out!

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Ryan Moore is an independent Software Engineer, Architect, and Consultant specializing in web, mobile and enterprise .NET development. Ryan is also author of Foundation ASP.NET for Flash, and has contributed to several startups.